1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sharpener, and more particularly to a pencil sharpener.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical pencil sharpeners comprise a casing having a groove formed therein for receiving a pencil, and having a knife blade extended inward of the groove of the casing for sharpening the pencil. The user may not know the extension of the pencil into the groove of the casing, such that the user may not realize whether the pencil has been sharpened or not. Normally, the user have to remove the pencil from the pencil sharpener from time to time during the rotating or the sharpening operation of the pencil, in order to see whether the pencil has been sharpened to the required condition.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional pencil sharpeners.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pencil sharpener including a limiting device for limiting the engagement of the pencil into the sharpener and for controlling the sharpening operation of the pencil.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a pencil sharpener comprising a casing including a groove formed therein for receiving a pencil to be sharpened, a cutter blade secured on the casing and extended inward of the groove of the casing for sharpening the pencil, and means for limiting an engagement of the pencil into the groove of the casing in order to control the sharpening operation of the pencil. The user may thus be easily control and determine the sharpening operation of the pencil without trial and error processes.
The limiting means includes an extension having an end engaged into the groove of the casing for determining the engagement of the pencil into the groove of the casing. A housing is further provided and includes a chamber formed therein for receiving the casing, and means for retaining the casing in the housing.
The retaining means includes at least one rib extended inward of the chamber of the housing and engaged with the casing for retaining the casing in the housing. The housing includes an orifice formed therein, the casing includes an opening formed therein and communicating with the groove of the casing and aligned with the orifice of the housing for receiving the pencil.
The housing includes a channel formed therein, the limiting means includes a slide slidably received in the channel of the housing, and includes a knob extended from the slide for moving the slide relative to the housing and for adjusting the extension relative to the casing. The slide includes an arm extended therefrom, the extension is extended from the arm.
The limiting means further includes means for securing the slide to the housing. The securing means includes at least one tooth extended from the housing and extended inward of the channel of the housing, and includes at least one projection extended from the slide and engaged with the tooth of the housing and for adjustably securing the slide to the housing and thus for adjustably extending the end of the extension inward of the groove of the casing. The end of the extension includes a notch formed therein for receiving the cutter blade and for allowing the end of the extension to be engaged into the groove of said casing.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.